Devotional Pondering For Today – An Intimate Moment With God

“Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people.” -Colossians 3:23

Lord do I have a heart for You in all that I do?
Too often the answer is “no”.
Too often I am far too busy to include You.
Many times You are an after thought…A prayer as I go out the door.
Why do I forget You? How could I do such a thing after all that You have done for me?
Are You not the One who sustains me in the midst of trials, despair, heartache and sadness? Are You not the One who lifts my head and allows me to see Your beauty that encompasses Your world? How could I relegate You to a backseat in my life?

Renew my heart dear Lord.
Renew my mind.
Restore in me a right relationship to You.
It is my desire to intentionally seek You out in my day.
It is my desire to do ALL things through and because of You.
Teach me to walk in Your way today…Please take it slow because I am still learning, I am not complete, You have much to do within this heart of mine. Grant in me Your passion to the things that I must do today. Grant in me Your heart for other people, including people I do not see eye to eye with. Fill me with Your holiness once more. My desire is to reflect You. My desire is to be Your child before I engage the world around me. Heavenly Father, plead for You to remain in my day (each step of the way) as I do both the most mundane of tasks as well as the challenging. Allow me to display Heaven in our world to those who are lost and without hope of a future. Use me to shine Your light today. I long to be complete in Your holiness, reveal to me that which still lingers within my spirit that is not of You. Capture every fragment of who I am for Your glory. May my heart be Yours and Yours alone.

-Amen.

July 14, 2014 0

Dear Salvation Army – Officership: Are We Settling For The Willing But Not The Able?

In a continuation of the conversation yesterday –
https://pastorsponderings.org/2014/07/10/warning-dear-salvation-army-we-are-losing-our-young-people/

Perhaps another discussion could be broached within this specific topic…Officership.
It might sound raw and perhaps it may sting a little but here goes…

We have probably all witnessed the struggle our Army has had in some regions of the world recently to recruit and commission able bodied Officers. As the “World for God” extends into new communities and frontiers we find more and more that we are running low on willing and able personnel to fill these appointments.

Questions we must ponder on this issue:
Why are we so short on soldiers to fill our ranks as future officers?
What can be done to continue to “fill the world with glory” and still produce quality officers to boldly proclaim the name of Christ? Are we out of touch with younger generations? Could it be that the uniform is to blame? Are there just more opportunities now that weren’t there before to other generations?
Are we losing quality soldiers in our Army who could be future officers because new opportunities outside of the Army in other ministries and even vocations takes them away?

Secondly, has it become quantity over quality?

All too often I question if we as an Army have pushed too hard to produce in quantity new red trimmed Officers while at the same time we have failed to adequately prepare them for the work ahead. I question whether this push has elevated some who are willing but might never be able to fulfill such a calling. Please don’t misinterpret that statement to sound pretentious or arrogant, but perhaps at times we do settle for the willing over the willing and able to meet certain “quotas” of officers in territories. I also do not want to short change the work of the Holy Spirit here within this “calling”. I know full well that the Holy Spirit can and will call those to lead in our Army but within our methods of recruitment towards potential future officers are we forcing results?

Sometimes there is this atmosphere of panic in the Army. Perhaps it is never spoken but it is felt when the list of accepted candidates comes out and for some reason it seems rather small (compared to other “more bountiful years”). Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying and I don’t wish to imply anything negatively here, but there is a perception of numeric success even within these lists of potential future officers. It makes me question if at times our push for more and more candidates creates a notion that Officership is for everyone, when it is in fact a calling not specifically a profession. I don’t mean to elevate this position above anything else within our Army because everything serves a purpose, but when we commission some who really weren’t called but simply signed up because it was convenient or pushed upon them…are we selling ourselves short? Are we really being faithful to God? Will God honor this sort of selection? To be fair we must recognize that this isn’t always the norm…but have certain territories hit the panic button in recent years?

Wrong Reasons For Becoming An Officer –
(Erroneous Ones As Well)
#1 Free House
#2 Free Vehicle
#3 The Pay
#4 The Adventure of Moving
#5 Pressured into it
#6 No Other Prospects of Employment
#7 Always Wanted to Wear Red Trim

There are many more wrong reasons why some want or have become officers. Some on this list may seem silly to you, but I have heard some of these rationales from real people. Granted in some territories the concept of becoming an Officer may seem like a safe, comfortable choice of vocations. Many fail to recognize the demands of such a calling. The life of an Officer is not glamorous or flashy. It is not easy at times. Sure there are blessings associated with the calling to become an Officer but there are burdens as well. <<This is why I will probably NEVER be asked to become any kind of candidate secretary>>>…I do not want to sugar coat the ministry of our Army.

Honorable Reasons For Becoming An Officer –
#1 You have felt God’s calling on Your Life to make this decision.
#2 This isn’t “plan B” but a passion to serve the Lord as an Officer.
#3 You have strong desire to serve other people from every walk of life.
#4 You are prepared to serve in the good times and in the not so good times.
#5 You have a passion for holiness and are currently responding to God’s prodding on your life.

There are more honorable reasons for becoming an Officer but these are just a few the spring to mind while in this conversation.

TWO WARNING SIGNS:
For Territorial, Divisional, & Corps –
Beware of pushing people into “the ministry” of Officership. We all recognize the need to fill appointments and to have sufficient personnel on the field…but perhaps at times we have to trust in the Lord more than we do. We have to trust that He is going to provide the right people for the right appointing. This doesn’t mean we don’t put that call out for more candidates, it simply means that perhaps we wait a little longer on the Lord to provide willing AND able Men and Women for this sacred duty.

For Soldiers & Potential Candidates –
Beware of jumping too quickly into a full-time ministry as a Candidate or potential Officer. Pray in earnest for the right direction. Pray for God to reveal to you His path for your life. I am not discouraging anyone from becoming an Officer but make sure your decision to “sign up” is for the right reasons, not the wrong ones. Talk it over with family and friends and talk it over with your Corps Officer. We need Officers in our Army but at the same time do not sell yourself short or sell the Army short and settle for being willing but not able to fulfill such a arduous calling.

“Get On With It!”
Perhaps the panic button has been hit a time or two in various territories, but I also know that there are some very godly men and women leading the charge to recruit and to commission new Officers of The Salvation Army. It is not a glamorous lot, but it is a vital role to play. Are you willing AND able? For soldiers and officers who are neither willing nor able I would advise you do one of two things – Pray for the Lord to restore your ministry and passion for the lost souls in your communities and get on with it or get out of the way so that others may rise up and take your place. This may sound harsh, but if we do not have holy sanctified officers or future holy sanctified officers rising up we will have lost our mission and vision as an Army. God forgive us if we lose sight of His purpose for our lives and for the hope of restoration to the lost. Get on with it!

I never thought I would be discussing this today…but praise the Lord for His leading! Something further for our Army to ponder.

July 11, 2014 6

Being a Single Officer, Is It More Difficult than a Married Officer?

I have to admit, I have never been a single officer. So why write this? I have friends who are single officers, I have heard of some of their difficulties and frustrations. I can sympathize, and begin to recognize that I had no idea that being a single officer was that challenging. Admittedly the life of a Salvation Army Officer is, by the nature of the ministry, challenging in and of its own right, but ministering alone has its own set of blessings and frustrations.

Together with a few of my single Officer friends, we set out to create a brief “Single Officer survey” just to gauge the perceptions and experiences of other single Officers. We wanted to know if some of the experiences my friends have had along the pathway of duty resembled that of others serving in the same capacity.

Perhaps the question lingering in the title of this article cannot be answered. Perhaps it isn’t even about which is more difficult but rather “Are single Officers considered as valuable to The Salvation Army as married couples?” I do not ask this question to be condescending or insensitive but rather because the perception is (which is not always true but instead felt)that single officers are simply not considered as valuable.

The Survey Questions and Results

Results and Interpretation
One must be careful how one interprets such data, and we simply want to be fair and objective. Is there sufficient data to support the concerns of many single officers? Yes. What can be done? Perhaps listening to these strong voices, these leaders who have answered God’s call for their lives and, many times without the support of a partner, have led well within many types of ministries.

Question 1 – “Have you ever been sincerely affirmed as a single Officer by someone other than a friend?”
The affirming statistic here is that nearly 55% of those within this survey felt that they had in fact been sincerely affirmed as a single officer. Perhaps the affirmation came from another officer, leader, or soldier but regardless of where it came from the majority (albeit a small margin majority) of our single officers are being affirmed.

On the flip side over 36% of those within this survey felt that they had not received affirmation from others around them including fellow officers, leaders and soldiers. I do not believe that this statistic supports a longing for personal “pats on the back” or a few “atta boys” but rather something many churches and organizations struggle with in terms of affirming and encouraging those that serve within its ranks.

Prescription: Whether you’re a department head, leader or otherwise take the time to listen to the needs of single officers. Really listen. We recognize the sheer number of officers on the field outnumber leadership within DHQ’s and THQ’s but Officers need to know that they are cared for and loved. Constant expressions of hope, encouragement and shepherding is desired by all Officers regardless of marital status. Within the Central Territory there are currently a small number serving within the “pastoral care” department…this is such a vital department to officers that it begs the question “why aren’t there more pastoral care officers for the territory?” Perhaps this isn’t true for other territories but we do need to re-examine how we shepherd our officers from both the territorial and divisional levels. We have to admit though that our Army is improving from the structural staunch leadership (almost militant) models of yesteryear, though we still have room to improve.

Question #2 – What Blessings Do You See in Single Officership?
Here are list of some of the answers –
“to concentrate fully on ministry”
“freedom from other commitments and time flexibility”
“responding to the will of God and being faithful to his call”
“being called to be like Jesus, totally free to focus on ministry”
“When it’s a busy season, such as at Christmas, it’s nice not to have to worry about a family and be able to focus soley on my job…”
“I was able to concentrate on ministry with no obligation to spouse or children. I was able to use my free time in a very “selfish” way — all I had to worry about was myself. Frankly, one great blessing of single officership is that the Army has structured a number of “rewards” (ICO, Brengle, commission memberships, etc.) so that there is single representation — so if I had remained a single officer my chances of going to ICO would have been much higher than they are now that I am married.”

Question #3 – “What challenges do you see in Single Officership?”
Here are a list of some of the answers –

“It’s all a challenge. It’s difficult to be everything to everyone and expected to be good at it all. People assume that because I’m single, I don’t need ‘family time’ or ‘me time’.”

“1.Have nobody to share the good and bad news etc. 2. And share the work”

“Loneliness, pigeon holed into certain types of appointments. Also single officers are moved at a higher rate than married officers and are convenient ‘plugs’ when there is a breakdown, I had 4 appointments in my first 5 years of officer ship due to this.”

“Even though I am smart enough, I am talented enough, I am responsible enough, being a single officer isn’t “good enough”. What I mean by that is I don’t run big corps on my own, have seminars just for singles that actually address some of my issues, and I am not heard. I had officers in Officer Care and Development ask me at an Officer’s Councils what my needs were. I told them and they forgot! By the time my TOI rolled around a year later the very same officers said they had never heard about these issues before when I addressed them again with another fellow, single officer.”
“Moving more, work alone, treated different than married officers”

“I have had challenges in people seeing me as an adult. My current DC is the first DC I’ve had so far in my officership that treats me like an adult. Having the title “associate” instead of a CO with the fellow officers at the appointment, causes you to be less of an officer (no matter what policies and pocedures says), working along side officers that say, “You’re my kids age” (this is never good). It’s hard to get away from the office many times because people assume you have nothing better to do, so it’s expected you work. Fellow officers who preach sexual purity from the pulpit and then make fun of you to your face for it. It’s frustrating to be told to go find young families when growing a corps, when I don’t relate to them at all. And it’s difficult to do marriage counseling or family counseling. Not having someone to vent to or to bounce things off of.”

Question #4 – “Do you feel the Army spends an equal amount of time teaching others about single Officership as they do with Married Officership?”

Over 80% of those polled within this question responded “No”. This is a telling statistic. We are not out to criticize or attack our Army, just the opposite, we love our Army. Can we improve and help those who feel this way? Absolutely “Yes”. Perhaps there is a stigma, unspoken as it may be, in the Army and the attitude towards single officers. I have heard the hurtful gossip directed at Single Officers, and I’ve confronted it when I’ve heard it. Sometimes people assume that because someone is single and an Officer that there is something “wrong with them“. There is also sometimes an assumed notion that just because a person is a single officer they are less equipped than a married couple…which is usually baseless and wrong. Can we work towards better education in the Army when it comes to Single Officers? Short answer: Yes.

Question #5 “Do you feel Single Officers are pigeonholed in certain appointments?”

Nearly sixty-six percent polled felt that Single Officers were in fact pigeonholed to certain appointments because of their marital status. Assuredly we can see some of the reasoning for certain appointment changes – the expenses of relocated a Single Officer over a married couple is less, as mentioned in question 2 there is more flexibility, and perhaps this makes Single Officers “more portable”. These may be some of the reasonings for certain appointment decisions but is there a way for Leadership to break these molds and pigeonholing? I believe we are improving within this area, albeit slowly. There is still room for much improvement. It would be easy to chalk this survey up as just a bunch of officers complaining and make the comment “why can’t they just be faithful and obedient?” For in many minds being obedient to Army leadership equals being obedient to God…which I disagree with. Sometimes decisions are not made because of God, but because of convenience and less “ripples” in a move cycle. These are not the grumblings of Single Officers and myself, these are perceptions and experiences.

Question #6 “Who do you feel gains more respect (in general) on the field Male Single Officers or Female Single Officers?”
This statistic was almost even – Male Single Officers – 37%, Female Single Officers – 32%.

Responses to this question:
“Because female single officers tend to be a dime a dozen.”

“Fewer single men”

“People tend to listen to male leaders more than female – assertiveness in a woman is seen as a negative thing but for men it’s seen as good leadership”

“I think if you do your job people will show you respect”

“both are equal in my many years as a single officer”

“As a Single male officer, I was always asked in private If I was was a Homosexual because I was not married.”

Question 8 (I’m skipping 7, you can read the results for yourself)
“What could the Army do to better include Single Officers? “

Responses:
“Stop highlighting them as ‘single’ officers. That puts people into a box of single or married. Why not just refer to all of us as ‘Officer’ so as to not make anyone feel separated or singled out?”

“I think the army is making improvements and i am being realistic i do understand that when you have a married couple it’s pretty much your getting two for one, but I think that better things are yet to come in this area just like so many others things that have changed through out time. i also that marrieds without kids can be put into this pigeon hole as well”

“You should show me the same care you would as a married officer and don’t move me around all the time, because you wouldn’t do that to married officers. Give more opportunities to serve in ministries where marrieds cannot. And don’t just shuffle us around because you have NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH US”

“Resource us!”

“Find us a mentor or friend or someone that we can call when we feel like we have no one else to turn to, and teach us that it is always OK to call them, and what we say or feel won’t affect our future appointments.”

“Have conferences for singles and other opportunities just like married people. Show us we matter too!”

“Better pastoring (could be true for all officers, though), and not just an occasional bone thrown by a DC’s wife. What I experience and hear from my other single friends is that there is no one to listen to us when we need to share what’s burdensome. Married people have a spouse to share some of the burden, someone who can at least listen at the end of the day/week/minute and say “yeah, that sucks,” but singles (in my experience) don’t often have another officer who listens and supports.”

Question #9 – “What opportunities do you have as a Single Officer that you wouldn’t have normally?”

Response:

“I feel as if I have less opportunities as a single officer, not more.”

“I think sometimes you get to make your ministry what it is. I love to visit with people. To just sit and listen to them, laugh with them, pray with them-I have more time to do that as a single person because I am assisting, to have that ministry.”

“A lot less because so there are so many one starred events that I have to go to”

Question #10 – “As a Single Officer do you feel that you have a voice in the Army? “

Positively over 52% of those polled felt that they do indeed have a voice within the Army. Less than 20% felt adversely. This should be considered a good thing. Less Single Officers feel as if they are not heard. This does not contradict earlier questions within this survey it simply reinforces perhaps an area that the Army is fulfilling to some respects. As Officers, decisions made in a Corps are the Corps Officer’s decision regardless if it be a single Officer or married Officer. Leaders within ministries have voices. The real question begs to be asked though, are the right leaders listening to these voices? I believe we are making strides in the right direction…but we’re not there yet.

What I have learned as a Married Officer within this study:
I thought I knew the struggles of all officers…turns out I didn’t. My single Officer friends have helped me glean some very helpful knowledge here. I have learned a great deal as an individual.

Secondly, I have learned that we still have room for improvement within our Army. I didn’t realize that some of my fellow sojourners as Single Officers felt this way. That there are stigmas associated to the perception of Single Officership. I have learned that in some cases a single Officer feels out of place and are treated quite differently than a Married Couple.

Lastly, I have gained a source of deep respect for Single Officers out there who fight the good fight and have answered the call of Officership. You are truly leaders in your own right! You are strong people and I pray that you continue to be emboldened to use your voice, to lead, to change the world and the Army world so that the Mission of Christ is furthered. Thank you for sharing these concerns, hopes, blessings and challenges with us!

Something for the Army world to ponder today.

July 7, 2014 6

Devotional Pondering: Stumbling in The Darkness or Dancing in the Light?

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5-7 NIV)

This is one of my favorite passages of scripture. The idea that not only has God saved us through His son Jesus but that in Him there is no darkness. We can learn a lot within this one passages. We can understand that fellowship with us is one of God’s desires. We can understand also that if we aren’t walking towards His light while He seeks to make us right through Jesus, we are still in the dark.

Have you ever attempted to stumble around in the dark in a place that you are visiting for the first time? It’s a little disconcerting. It’s pitch black, you are unfamiliar with your surroundings, and now you are trying to walk in this inky blackness…I will admit it’s a little frightening. I’ve done this and it’s very unsettling to have your arms outstretched and feet tenuously reaching for that next step, and the whole time you are hoping you don’t trip over something and fall.

Walking in the darkness of sin is also very unsettling. I was there…I’m sure you were as well. It’s a kind of blindness. It holds you captive and at times it feels as if you are shuffling your feet with arms outstretched as you wander around in the darkness.

Notice again the last line of this passage – “…and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin”. Can you imagine again for a moment shuffling in this terrifying darkness hoping to not trip and fall -eyes are useless…and then suddenly THE LIGHT is there to show us how and where to walk. It says Jesus can and will purify us from ALL sin…not a segment, not a limited run and then back into the darkness of sin, NO ALL SIN!! What a blessing that is to hear! What an assurance to us that we never have to wander around in the darkness searching with shuffled feet anymore…ALL sin means exactly that ALL!

Are You Still Wandering In The Darkness?
You don’t have to suffer the darkness of sin any longer.
You don’t have to suffer the dread that accompanies the darkness any longer. You don’t have to suffer the loneliness and emptiness any longer. Jesus paid it all for us. He suffered and died for us. He comes to us in our darkness and our struggling and illuminates our feet and our path and He shows us where to walk within His light.

Stop Acting Like You’re Still In The Darkness If You Know Christ!!
Secondly, to those who already know Jesus and that of His wondrous redemption and light, remember at YOU have been redeemed and start acting like it! Remember it! Share it with others! His light has illuminated your world, your path, your life…so shine! Don’t become consumed by the darkness any longer! Don’t allow the father of lies to trick you into thinking it never happened or maybe that you’re not redeemable…you, me, all of us are God’s children who He desperate wants to save and have fellowship with daily…even moment by moment.

-Just another think to ponder today

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank your for sending your son Jesus into my dark world to save us. Help me to see your light in my life. Help me to see evidence of your glory on this path. Walk beside me and illuminate my feet. Keep me from the dangers of the darkness today. Help me to shine through you so that others might see and find you as well! Lord I loved you. -Amen!

July 1, 2014 0

Devotional Pondering – “I have to sacrifice WHAT???”

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1

Just the idea alone of sacrificing or giving up something in our lives, at times, seems preposterous. Why would we ever want to sacrifice anything…it’s an honest confession, and a shared sentiment with many. Sacrifice can be a hard thing to do in our lives which often include more excess and over-excess rather than “less”. I’m sure you have heard the phrase “less is more” and in the case of the Holiness this certainly fits, at least in the practical physical sense.

Question: What are we willing to sacrifice in order to have a closer relationship with God?
Perhaps the idea of giving up something physical in your life bothers you. Perhaps knowing that the Lord requires this in order to help you grow seems hard even harsh. Let me ask you this – what consumes your day? Is it your job? Is it your pursuit of more stuff? Are you living beyond your current means? I don’t mean to pry but honestly mammon or the pursuit of stuff has ~~almost~~ become our worldly false god especially in the Western world. We see a new commercial on T.V. for the biggest and nicest car and we crave it. We go to a friend’s house and they show off their new 60′ television with all the new features and we covet it. Mammon – this pursuit of stuff has a way of choking our spiritual lives to death.

I’m not saying money or things are inherently evil, not at all. Some of these things are necessary items and can be used for good…but if it becomes our obsession, then perhaps we have placed things and “stuff” above God.

Sacrifice requires something from us. Sacrifice in the spiritual sense means we are willing to think more about our relationship with God and less about our own selfish wants and desires. Sacrifice is more than just a way of life it has to become a thought process and a lifestyle.

“he (Jesus) humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” -Philippians 2:8 (NLT)

If we are to become holy in our lifestyles, attitudes and actions, then we have to emulate the very attributes of Christ who became death, took death from us, and in so doing redeemed us. Humility, in the spiritual sense, goes hand in hand with becoming a living sacrifice for God and for the people around us (regardless if they are good or bad).

Prayer: Dear Lord, show me what a living sacrifice looks like. I have, at times, filled my life with pride, arrogance and things that attempted to replace you. Forgive me of this, help me to see the threat of mammon in my life and guide me in your truths…lead me Lord. I long to be like you, help me to see how I can become humble in spirit so that I may be your witness to the world around me. Help me to see others through your eyes and guide me in your truths. -Amen.

June 30, 2014 0

Devotional Pondering: “Sharing in the Father’s Passions”

I was in a guitar store recently with my youngest son. Going to the guitar store is kind of my personal kryptonite…I love it. I love the smells of the new guitars. The gleam of the new varnish on the dark mahogany acoustic bodies. I love the sounds of plucking fresh strings, it’s like…well, music to my ears.

Okay, I digress…

I was in this guitar store with my 6 year old, very impressionable son, and I was explaining and showing him the various styles of guitars. I was in My glory there in that store. I was reveling in this passion. I was excited to hopefully share this passion with my son. Then I handed him a guitar to hold. I showed him how to correctly hold it. How to strum it. The guitar looked huge in his tiny arms…yet it made me smile. There I was sharing one of my passions with my son.

Later that day…

We were out on an errand at another store (no guitars in sight), and my son looks up at me with his big blue excited eyes and says “Dad, when are we going back to the guitar store so that I can pick out MY guitar?” At this point if was smiling ear to ear, my son wanted to learn, he had caught the gleam in my eyes and wanted to share in my passion for music and now he wanted his own guitar to play.

I was a proud Father.

Guess what? God is a proud Father too…of you and me.
He wants so desperately to shares His passions with us, His love for the world, His joy in creativity and music, His artistry…and He revels and smiles broadly when the lights finally go on in our eyes and we begin to catch just a glimpse of THAT passion of the Father.

He longs to share with us His love and passion…are we catching it? Is it in our eyes and our hearts? Do we possess a fraction of the Father’s passion in what we do, in who we are…in Whose we are? He stands there beside us ready to share it with us. He longs for us to capture His glimmer. He smiles broadly when we ask Him to teach us, to be with us, to lead us…are we?

Prayer: Lord, I am Your child, teach me. Here I am, show me. Lord grant me a glimpse of your glory, your love, your passions for the world around me…ignite these passions In me and allow me to revel in Your presence today. Inspire my heart, soul, mind and body to love and serve you today. Father I love you. -Amen.

June 29, 2014 0

Finding Freedom…stop the madness!

What are you
Enslaved to?

What holds
You
Captive?

So many victims…
so many chains.

Enslaved to the things we own…
or is it the things which own us?

what is it that is clasped to your life
threatening to drown you?

How the pressure builds and builds
and
builds.

What holds us back, keeps us chained
refrained and sometimes
Insane?

Wouldn’t you rather be
set free?

To find relief.
from the grief,
the chaos
this burden?

I don’t want to lug this anymore…
To push and pull
and never improve this lot…

Why would we EVER
be satisfied with this?
When there is real Peace
real Hope
real Life
real Freedom  …

BUT…
The burning question is…

Why do we still live like we are still enslaved

still imprisoned
still chained…?

Something to ponder today…and find freedom, live freedom, be freedom for others still blind and chained.



June 24, 2014 0

Devotional Pondering – A Hard Truth: His will isn’t always our will!

“May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” -Matthew 6:10

Many times, if we’re honest, our prayers contain a very personal aspect – our will. There are certain things that we pray for that we want to happen, outcomes and accomplishments, dreams and aspirations. Often times we want God to answer our prayers in the manner that suits us. Sometimes He answers the way that “we hope” He would answer, while other times His answer isn’t what we expected.

When we submit ourselves to Him, we are making a conscious attempt of complete surrender – come what may. Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. We call it “the Lord’s prayer”, and yet we should understand that Jesus was modeling how prayer should be. Sure the words are important but so is the attitude in which we say those words. The Lord’s prayer isn’t a “magic” saying either, it is not the only way to pray, but it models for us the type of prayers that should leave our lips and hearts.

The Danger
Taking our will out of our prayers might cause us some anxiety. Our will is sometimes (in my case very, very, very) stubborn. Our will is probably the last ounce of our old selves that remains within the face of complete surrender. The will of God, however, can be dangerous to our personal dreams and aspirations because He might call us elsewhere…but...if we chose to accept His will over ours, He provides us with something far better than we could have ever hoped and dreamed of.

We serve a dangerous God.
That doesn’t mean that He sets out to cause us pain or discomfort, but God calls us and prompts us to this attitude of complete surrender. Faith is blind sometimes. When we utter the words “Your Will be done” we have released our self-chosen pathways, our wants and our often selfish wishlists in life, which we have clutched tight-fisted and unwavering in resolve. His will is not always our will, but can we face a simple truth that releases us to see this dangerous God? That truth – He knows better than we do. He can and will guide us. He wants to lead us. He is prepared to help us on this journey of Holiness, but we must utter those four, sometimes frightening, words – YOUR. WILL. BE. DONE.

Confessions:
I still struggle with those words…do you?

Sometimes I find myself fighting against His will. I think that I know better and so I pray my will into things, people and aspirations once again. I take back that which I had surrendered to Him. I take back my trust in His leading. I take back my faith and choose my will over His..do you find yourself here as well? I believe God wants us to honestly inventory our lives. I believe He desires an honest relationship with us and we must actively decide whether or not those four words are true of us. Are they true of you today?

-Prayer: Dear Lord, I confess that I have not always prayed and surrendered to Your will. Forgive me when I have taken You for granted and that of Your love. Teach me to trust you more deeply. Show me how I can live within Your will more fully. I know that You long for a deeper relationship with me, guide me, break me, melt me, mold me again. -Amen.

June 23, 2014 0

3 Warning Signs – When Leaders Are Out of Touch with Reality.

It happens from time to time in every organization.
Perhaps those appointed, elected, or assigned to the responsibilities of leadership forget what it was like to be led. Perhaps along the way of corporate or organizational “ladder climbing” they lost touch with true tangibles which are grounded in reality. It can be true even within the Christian world that power corrupts absolutely.

What are the warning signs as leaders that we ought to be aware of? What kinds of tools can we utilize in our leadership models in order to stay relevant and lead with passion and vision so that others will follow? I think it begs to be said but authoritative leadership cannot be respected or maintain just by brute force. The result of leading in such a way is a leadership of fear and not respect. Good leaders strive to make additional leaders along the way, not subjugation and “my way or the highway” philosophies.

3 Warning Signs – tools to help leaders stay in touch with reality:
1. Cultivate a spirit of authentic humility:

When the veneer and “polished” shine wears off of new leaders it is important to live within a spirit of authentic humility. Those with whom you are leading need to know you are human and that you do not place yourself above their needs. Humility within good leadership is usually developed not born. It is much easier to lord over followers barking out orders and playing favorites. It is easy to become a bad leader. It is much harder to be a good leader. Good leadership takes work and deep consideration of the needs of their followers. Becoming humble despite the potential privileges that leadership can offer speaks volumes to those being led. When we adopt a true spirit of humility within leadership, the paradigm of “top down” organizational structure is turned on its head…and this is a good thing!

Humility in leadership has the ability win advocates not just “followers”. What I mean by that is this – some followers will just follow out of obligation, but to cultivate productivity, respect and genuine leadership one must gain advocates within those you lead. Being humble while leading is absolutely one way to cultivate these kinds of relationships within your organizational base.

2. Listen to opposing arguments & perspectives

Good leaders aren’t afraid of criticism, in fact they willingly engage in productive ideas sharing. This doesn’t mean that the vision or mission of the organization should be sidetracked by opposing views but rather a good leader will listen to alternative methods to accomplishing the same mission and vision. All too often I think insecure leaders are unwilling to be challenged because they lack the confidence in their own leadership abilities. They see opposing or alternative views as threatening, even insubordination, when in fact others (even followers) are striving to accomplish the same goals and objectives. Suddenly, instead of listening to other people’s opinions and ideas, the insecure leader will shoot them down and reprimand because they feel their leadership abilities are in question. Lack of true listening as a leader is a warning sign for poor leadership and a polarized organizational vision.

A good leader desires to actively listen to those they lead and seeks to consistently improve the mission through innovation and ideas sharing. When a company or organization values the thoughts and ideas of others within the team, the mission can advance faster and more efficiently. Great leaders are willing to fight for the ideas and thoughts of those who are subordinate yet passionate about mission. Listening, really listening is crucial to great leaders. Without such an ability, common leaders (which far out number great leaders) will ignore, plod on, and become out of touch with reality.

3. Invest in People not the Product (or Mission):

Equipping, discipling, and developing future leaders must be a valued focus of great leaders. Yes the mission or product is important to the success of whatever organization but without the people doing the hard labor behind the mission or product the organization will eventually fail. All too often the mission (or product) gets placed above the people. Suddenly people are not treated like people but rather just another number or warm body to facilitate the desired outcomes. When this happens the company or organization can become a cold place to work. Those who work there might be begin to feel unimportant, morale might be low, vision can be misplaced for simply “survival”, and the passion for the mission might evaporate entirely.

In the vein of this warning sign, leaders might sense something is wrong with the organization or company, but because of their disconnectedness to the reality of those they serve in leadership, they may conclude that the remedy is another program or ‘relabeled’ slogan. Without the aforementioned characteristics of great leaders, (Authentic Humility and Active Listening) the common leader will strive to improve the company or organization through more program and success driven ideas without the inclusion of its followers. When this happens the common leader has decided that they will invest in the product or mission over the people. All too often, through this impersonal leadership method, common leaders will sacrifice the few (or the many) for the sake of marginal product/mission success.

These are the warning signs of leaders who are out of touch with reality. The reason I write this today is to help us decide what kind of leader that WE want to be both in life and in our places of employment. These are very common threats to any organization or company, and without corrective steps and measures, attrition rates within the organization or company will increase. Coupled with that loss, the mission and vision will become harder and harder to accomplish and the investment in people instead of product (programs and mission) will be abandoned.

I, for one do not want to become disconnected and out of touch…do you?

-Just something else to ponder today…be the kind of leader that you aspire others to be!!!

June 20, 2014 3

Devotional Pondering – “This is going to hurt me more than it’s going to hurt you!”

“In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children?

My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline,
    but don’t be crushed by it either.
It’s the child he loves that he disciplines;
    the child he embraces, he also corrects.

God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children.”
Hebrews: 12:4-10 (The Message)

No likes to be disciplined.
I remember as a kid getting in trouble with my mother and she sent me to my room. Then she said that horrifying phrase: “Wait until in your room until your father gets home!” I remember sitting there on my bed, empty pit of a stomach just dreading the punishment that I knew I had coming to me. I contemplated many things while waiting. I thought of the various phrases I would say like, “I’m sorry” or “I didn’t mean it“, or “I’ll never do that again!“…they all sounded hollow and empty. Humorously (not then though) I also contemplated things about my punishment, like “how many books can I put in my underwear without my father noticing so that my spanking won’t hurt?” I was very dramatic then.

No one likes to be disciplined. I didn’t then and I still don’t enjoy the moments when it happens today.

“Wait until your Heavenly Father gets home!“
God has a way of shifting us from our own private spaces of ignorance and sin into correction and discipline. It hurts. It’s not fun. It is most certainly not enjoyable and yet it needs to take place.

Just as a parent disciplines and shapes a child so that when they grow up they have learned their lessons and are good people, so too God disciplines us (His Holy Children). Did you know that you’re a child of God? He loves us so deeply and He longs for us to grow up as health and strong righteous men and women who are worthy of being called HIS!

Sometimes He disciplines through the words of a friend or an elder. These truthful words can be painful to hear and they strike directly at the heart. But these moments are never to wound us or harm us, they are for our correction and growth.

There’s something about a Rose Bush:

In order for a rose bush to grow the next season following autumn and winter is for the gardener to prune and cut it back. So the gardener cuts the branches and the excess away despite the sharp thrones this plant is beautiful and magnificent when it blooms. The gardener knows this and so takes great care to cut just enough away in order to make room for the rose bush to grow again. When the next season comes around the rose bush thrives in the sunshine and the rich soil that the gardener has placed it in, and because of the pruning process it flourishes and grows even more beautiful. Soon roses bloom in full and the scent of its aroma fills the air and many people come and admire the beauty of this rose bush.

Stand firm in your pruning!

I believe that God is not done with us yet! There is still more to prune from us. Sometimes the pruning process is painful. Sometimes there will be tears as He corrects us, but He does this so that we will bloom and grow until we are Holy just as Christ is Holy. When we allow stand firm and allow Him to prune us through His discipline we are able to flourish and produce the kind of love that has a sweet aroma of God. Without the pruning process in our lives, we cannot grow, we will be stunted and limited in this life.

Discipline hurts for but a moment and then when we allow it, God brings to us peace of His presence and the assurance that we can bloom and grow in His holiness.

Questions to consider:

What pruning has God done in your life so far?
What is He teaching you through this discipline?
What still needs to be pruned?
Are you willing to stand firm amidst His loving correction?

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for loving me so much that you seek to discipline and correct me. Forgive me when I have been stubborn and refused your correction on my life. Show me what your holiness looks like in me and how I must change and surrender that which stunts my growth in you. -Amen.

June 18, 2014 0